Draft-equalizer.



No. 644,486. Patented Feb. 27, I900. w. M. WUNDEBLICH.

DRAFT EOUALIZER.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

"m: Nonms vrEns co. momum'ou WASHINGTON. D. c.

U ITED STATES PATENT Futon.

W'ILLIAM M. \VUNDERLICH, OF GILTNER, NEBRASKA.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,486, dated February 2'7, 1900.

Application filed January 9, 1900. Serial No. 860. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. WUNDER- LIOH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Giltner,in the county of Hamilton and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Draft-Equalizer, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in draft-equalizers.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of draft-equalizers and to provide a simple and comparativelyinexpensive'device designed to be applied to gang plows and other agricultural implements and capable of ready adjustment to prevent side draft and adapted to permit the draft-horses to pull straight in the traces.

A further object of the invention is to enable the draft-animals to be hitched close to a plow without adding weight to the same and to provide a structure of great strength and durability which will not interfere with the turning of the plow.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a draft-equalizer constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken longitudinally of the pivoted support of the main whiffietree.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts'in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates an oblong loop or frame disposed transversely of the front ends of a pair of longitudinal plow-beams 2 and receiving and secured to the front ends 3 of such beams, which are reduced for the reception of the loop or frame, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The loop or frame is extended laterally from one of the beams 2, and pivoted to the extended end or portion 4 is a guide 5, composed of upper and lower bars having their inner ends perforated for the reception of the pivot-bolt 6, which also serves as a pivot for an adjustable stop 7.

The upper bar of the pivoted guide 5 is angularly bent at 8 adjacent to the transverse loop or frame to reduce the space between the upper and lower bars of the guide 5, which receives a main whiftletree-bar J, and the outer portions of the upper and lower bars of the guide areprovided with longitudinal slots 10 for the reception of a central pivot 11 of the main whiffletree. The longitudinal slots of the guide throw the draft upon a chain 12 or other suitable flexible connection, having its terminals connected with the main whiffietree bar, at the ends thereof, and the said chain is extended around agrooved pulley 13. The grooved pulley 13, which is arranged beneath the draft-beams 2, is mounted in a bracket 14, open at the front and one side and provided with upwardly-extending arms 15 pulley, the guide 5 and the adjacent parts being relieved of such strain by the slots 10.

The guide 5 is adapted to swing laterally of the draft-beams on its pivot 6, and it is held at the desired adjustment by the stop '7, which is located at the inner side of the guide. The pivoted guide is adapted to swing outward from the stop to facilitate turning the plow or other implement or machine to which the device may be applied, and the forward draft on the main whiffletree will return the guide to its normal position as soon as the horses or other draft-animals move forward. The adjustable stop consists of a curved body portion anda radially-arranged arm 18, mounted on the pivot 6 and located at a point between the ends of the body portion. The outer end of the body portion is provided with a depend ing arm 19 for engaging the inner edges of the upper and lower bars of the stop 5, and the inner end of said body portion is provided with a series of perforations 20, adapted to register with perforations 21 of the transverse frame or loop. The inner end of the body portion of the stop 7 is secured at the desired adjustment by a bolt 22 or other suitable fastening device, which passes through the perforations 20 and 21. The ends of the main whiffletree are designed to be connected with doubletrees, and by shifting the guide the draft-animals may be arranged in the desired position with relation to the plow or other implement, and they will be caused to pull straight in the traces by such guide.

The device affords a short hitch or connection between the draft-animals and the plow and does not add any weight to the latter.

The device, while being designed especially for use in connection with gang-plows, may be advantageously employed on other agricultural machines.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted guide arranged to swing laterally of a draft beam or frame, a main whiffletree mounted on the guide, and an adjustable stop engaging the guide at the inner side thereof and holding the same against inward movement, said guide being adapted to swing outward beyond the stop, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted guide designed to be connected with adraft frame or beam and provided with a slot or way, a main whiflletree mounted on the guide and engaging the slot or way, and an adjustable stop engaging the inner side of the guide, the latter being adapted to swing outward beyond the stop, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted guide designed to be mounted on a frame or draft-beam, a main whiffietree slidingly mounted on the guide, an adjustable stop engaging the guide at the inner side thereof and holding the same against inward movement, said guide being adapted to swing outward freely, and flexible connections between the main whiffletree and the draft beam or frame, whereby the guide is relieved of strain, substantially as described.

4t. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted guide, a main whifflctree slidingly mounted on the guide, a pulley designed to be mounted on a draft beam or frame, a flexible connection passing around the pulley and attached to the ends of the main Whillletree, and means for securing the guide at the desired adjustment, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a guide, a main whiffletree slidingly mounted on the guide, means for connecting the whiffletree with the draft beam or frame, an adjustable stop comprisinga curved body provided at one end with an arm for engaging the guide, and having a radially-arranged arm located between its ends and mounted on the pivot of the guide, and a fastening device engaging the inner end of the body portion of the stop, substantially as described.

6. A device of the class described comprising a transverse loop or frame designed to be mounted on a draft beam or beams, and provided with perforations, a guide composed of a pair of bars pivoted at their inner ends to the transverse loop and provided with longitudinal slots, a main whiffletree mounted on the guide and provided with a pivot arranged in the slots thereof, a pulley, a flexible connection passing around the pulley 'and attached to the whifiletree, an adjustable stop consisting of a body portion provided at one end with an arm for engaging the guide, and an arm extending from the body portion between the ends thereof and mounted on the pivot of the guide, and a fastening device engaging perforations of the slot and the trans- Verse loop, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM M. \VUNDERLICH.

\Vitnesses:

WM. GLOVER, CHAS. O. GLOVER. 

